Exposed

Seeing Ye Zhongming staring at him with a solemn expression, Wang Changle knew he'd been too aggressive just now and had aroused the other's suspicions.

He had to admit that people who could become protagonists really did have intelligence that was always online.

Even before they'd fully grown, they weren't that simple—at the very least, their minds were different from ordinary people's.

"First, I don't mean you any harm. Second, I've saved you twice, and even the healing item in your hand is mine. Isn't it a little inappropriate to point a gun at me?"

Smiling at him, Wang Changle wanted to test whether this man was truly the same as in the setting. It was very important to his future plans.

"This isn't a place to talk either. Once the battle's over, I'll come find you, Ye Zhongming. Boss Ye."

Ye Zhongming slowly lowered his gun. His mind settled slightly as he tossed out a proposal.

"So you really do know me! Fine, I'll wait for you."

Looking at the youth before him, who seemed certain he wouldn't dare shoot, Ye Zhongming felt a fire ignite in his heart. That sense of losing control filled him with frustration!

Life Essence turned into a streak of light and entered Ye Zhongming's body. In mere moments, all the injuries on his body had healed.

After giving Wang Changle a complicated look, he strode toward the exit of the mall.

After immense effort, Wang Changle finally gathered the horns, along with some skin and flesh.

Glancing at the Extras rolling around on the floor, too afraid to cry out in pain, he thoughtfully tossed them a loudspeaker.

"Help! Help! Somebody save me!"

The loud cries for help echoed through the mall and carried far, far away, drawing in many zombies.

For a time, screams mingled with desperate pleas, never ending.

Destroying an enemy's hope was the greatest protection for oneself, no matter how weak that enemy was!

In the distance, the nearly fifty-meter-tall Iron Chain Prisoner was being besieged by rocket launchers.

He immediately realized he'd spent too much time and had missed the best ambush point.

Following the feedback from the plants, he quickly determined the direction and rushed nonstop toward Lakeside Plaza.

That was where the final battle would take place, and it would also be his last chance!

Under the assault of zombies and monsters, the military's guns and artillery displayed their greatest power. With blanket firepower, they heavily suppressed the monsters' range of movement.

At the same time, it severely restricted his route forward.

To avoid the monsters and firepower positions and ensure his own safety, he had no choice but to take a detour.

Watching the glowing green flame monster battle the Water Person in the distance, Wang Changle knew he had to speed up. Otherwise, if the Monster Baby was shot dead by the protagonist, all his plans would come to nothing.

At Lakeside Plaza, Ye Zhongming twisted aside to evade a streak of light, looking at the one-armed Monster Baby not far away and the suddenly appearing trio.

Unlike the original timeline, Ye Zhongming, whose injuries had fully recovered, used Feng Yue Consecutive Slashes to block the Spear Man's silver-dragon-like lance, then punched the Spear Man flying.

Suddenly, a group of soldiers carrying firearms arrived at the scene, and Li Shujun immediately shouted.

"Wang Ding, that's the monster! Hurry and grab the bag behind it!"

At that moment, Ye Zhongming saw Wang Changle rushing out of a distant alley. His heart stirred, and he threw the Monster Baby toward him with both hands.

Seeing the Monster Baby flying toward him, Wang Changle felt as if happiness had come too suddenly. He lunged forward and caught it.

Just then, Li Shujun suddenly pointed in Wang Changle's direction and shouted.

"Open fire! Kill him!"

Several machine guns immediately swung their muzzles toward Wang Changle. Amid Li Shujun's shouting, gunfire erupted.

At that moment, Wang Changle felt his soul nearly leave his body and instinctively dodged to the side.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Despite desperately trying to evade, Wang Changle still felt something strike his body.

[Your shoulder suffered a gunshot penetration injury. Health -25%. Additional effect: continuous bleeding, losing 1% Health per minute.]

[Your left leg suffered firearm damage. Health -18%.]

[Your left arm suffered a grazing injury. Health -5%.]

Three Paradise notifications came in a row. Leaning against the corner of the street, Wang Changle's Health instantly dropped to 52%, nearly below the safety threshold.

Fortunately, his body was in a semi-datafied state, so the damage he'd taken wasn't as serious as he'd imagined.

"You lot, go! I saw him get shot! He can't have gone far! Hurry, you have to catch him!"

Holding down the babbling, roaring Monster Baby, Wang Changle swept his battle axe across. The Monster Baby was instantly beheaded and died on the spot.

[Notice: You killed the Monster Baby. The Monster Baby is the mission's main target, so you do not receive World Origin. You have instead obtained 2.5% World Origin.]

[Your talent, Talent: Characteristic Extraction, has activated. You have obtained Trait Card Inspiration.]

[You have obtained Treasure Chest.]

[Hunter mission completed: Kill the Monster Baby.]

[Hunter identity officially unlocked. Hunter missions activated. (They will begin in the next Derivative World.)]

[The Hunter will return immediately. Returning to Paradise in 30 seconds.]

[Warning: An unknown error has occurred. Repairing.]

[Repair successful. You may choose not to return. You will automatically return after the mission time ends. Remaining time: 23 hours 1 minute.]

People were greedy. Especially after witnessing and gaining greater power, the desires in their hearts would swell accordingly, making them want even more!

Especially when they still had a choice and could gain even more, they could never help wanting to gamble one more time!

Wang Changle was no exception, so he selected "No."

He still had time in this Derivative World. He still had many things left undone, and what he'd gained so far was nowhere near enough!

"Here, take it back."

In an instant, he fiercely threw the Monster Baby out again, tossing its corpse and the bag of gold toward the center of the plaza.

Missing an arm and its head, the Monster Baby wasn't much heavier than the Steel-hardened Battle Axe in his hands. With six points of Strength behind the throw, it flew a great distance.

The three groups charging toward him immediately abandoned Wang Changle and lunged for the center of the plaza. A chaotic melee began!

Wang Changle also got a chance to catch his breath and hid in the alley.

Taking out the Flesh Rose, he watched it squirm rapidly and restore his missing flesh. Every wound, from his shoulder to his thigh, was repaired, leaving his Health at 45%.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Just as Wang Changle took out the Human-faced Rose and began reshaping his face.

A tremendous roar suddenly came from outside the alley, and the ground trembled as if a small earthquake had erupted.

Wang Changle hurried out of the alley and saw the giant-like Iron Chain Prisoner smashing a tall building apart with Blood Wood, which was more than ten meters long.

The building collapsed, shaking the earth and mountains!

The battlefield went from three factions to five.

Ye Zhongming, Wang Ding, Ye Tuan, Director Liu, and the Extras Trio.

All five factions were scrambling for the treasures scattered throughout the ruins. Having finished reshaping his face, Wang Changle had already mixed into Li Shujun's group, hanging at the back and taking it easy.

But his eyes were fixed on Li Shujun, who was hiding behind the ruins. That ugly face was filled with endless greed, and he was clutching a Green Potion.

Suddenly, a series of gunshots interrupted everyone's attacks against one another.

Ye Zhongming was holding up a gun and firing madly at the distant Iron Chain Prisoner.

Faced with Ye Zhongming's sudden attack, the other four factions felt more terror than anger.

They had only one thought: this man was a madman. He was courting death!

Watching Ye Zhongming fire without pause, Wang Changle knew he wasn't crazy. He had a plan, and he would succeed!

Ye Zhongming's figure flashed repeatedly as he sprinted toward the Iron Chain Prisoner.

Bang!

A goose-yellow Rose Flower shattered in midair, releasing vast amounts of yellow pollen that formed a mist.

Mist Pollen instantly blurred everyone's vision, as well as the Iron Chain Prisoner's.

Ye Zhongming's eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the moment, he began climbing upward without pause.

While the Iron Chain Prisoner's attention was drawn to Ye Zhongming, Wang Changle moved as well. Following the information fed back by the plants, green light flashed around his body.

Root Entanglement

[Notice: Your Intelligence is 1.5 times that of your target. Target forcibly immobilized for 3.6 seconds. Nature Mark applied.]

Within the mist, Li Shujun suddenly felt his body tighten as something wrapped tightly around him.

His vision was completely blurred, and now he couldn't move. It filled him with terror.

Just as he was about to call for help, he caught sight of a battle axe coming from behind him at an angle. A flash of cold light passed before his eyes, then everything went dark as warm liquid flowed down from the top of his head.

Wang Changle split Li Shujun's skull apart with one swing of his axe. Feeling the warm blood, he found it utterly satisfying!

He wasn't some gentleman. He couldn't wait ten years.

He'd rather be a petty man, and a petty man's revenge lasted from dawn to dusk!

[Notice: You killed plot character Li Shujun. Obtained 1% World Origin.]

Kicking away the headless man, Wang Changle casually put the Green Potion in Li Shujun's hand into his storage space and ran toward a distant alley.

[Notice: You have obtained 1-star Evolution Potion x1.]

Clang!

Suddenly, the sound of metal striking metal nearly drowned out the entire battlefield!

A section of black-gold chain snapped and tumbled down from the sky. A golden figure caught the chain in midair.

Seeing a small section of the chain on its body cut away, the Iron Chain Prisoner was instantly enraged and dispersed the mist with a single slap.

The cyan horn atop its head blazed with light. Amid its roar, it fired wave after wave of energy.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Clusters of emerald energy beams exploded across Lakeside Plaza like heavy artillery shells. In the blink of an eye, Lakeside Plaza was reduced to ruins.

Even Wang Changle, who had already fled to the edge of the area, couldn't escape being caught in it. A single shockwave swept him more than ten meters away.

[Notice: You suffered damage from an energy shockwave. Health -20%.]

A vine suddenly shot out from the street beside him and swiftly wrapped around Wang Changle, sparing him the damage of a second fall.

The sewers, which should have been filled with filth, were now blooming with blood-red roses.

Within the pitch-black pipes, they looked strangely bewitching.

Like a swimming snake, the vine held him down and dragged him deeper into the darkness of the sewers.